Submerged

“How are you doing?” He had to go and shoot down her smile.

Her brows scrunched. “How do you think?”

His pulse jumped when he caught sight of her throat. Adam reached over and tipped her chin up. At the bruise on her neck, anger boiled in his gut. He seriously wanted to hurt the man who did this to her. Glancing at her eyes, he saw everything inside her laid bare.

Then she was in his arms. He wasn’t sure how—if he’d made the move or she had—but she was in them. And he held her tight. He couldn’t lose her, too. He’d lost his best friend, her brother.

God, I can’t lose her, too.

She didn’t sob into his shirt. Not like the day Brad had died. But he thought maybe she wanted to. Maybe he wanted to sob over all that had happened to keep them apart. Over his role in Brad’s death. And over what had happened to her today.

“Cobie,” he whispered into her soft, still wet hair. How long had he wanted to tangle his fingers in that thick mane?

She stiffened.

Cobie stepped away from him. That’s right. Keep up that wall. That would keep them both in line. He couldn’t believe he’d slipped. Let himself think about how she felt in his arms for even a second.

“Why would someone try to kill you?” he asked.

“You think I know?” She shoved by him.

That had been the wrong thing to say. But how could he get answers without questions? He followed her into the galley, where Jared and Nate both looked up.

“Ray called back after I left a message,” Jared said. “I told him everything.”

“What’d he say?” Adam smelled coffee brewing. He was glad someone had thought to put some on.

“He’s on his way. Will meet us near the beach.”

“How long?”

“An hour, maybe more.”

“He asked if Cobie was injured.” Nate studied Cobie. “If you needed medical attention. I told him I thought you were okay for now. Was I wrong?”

She shrugged. “I’ll be good when I know Laura and Jen are safe.”

Adam shared a look with Nate. She needed to have a doctor check her out all the same, with her throat bruised that way.

“We’ll do our best, Cobie.” Jared poured her coffee and handed her a steaming mug.

Adam left Cobie in good hands. She didn’t want to see him anyway. He made his way to the outside bridge up top where Gary steered the trawler. Since there was a steering station inside, he could have stayed in the galley with the rest of them where it was nice and warm, but Gary preferred to experience the full effect of being on the water. Wanted to feel the weather and smell the ocean. And maybe Gary wanted to step away from the drama they’d all just endured, Cobie most especially.

The island, one of many in southeast Alaska, loomed large ahead of them—steep bedrock and limestone exposures looked as though they’d been pushed up and out of the ocean by something ancient. The view of the greenery topping the rock of an island made Adam’s breath catch. Also made him second-guess his decision to explore the world outside the panhandle of Alaska—to get away from Mountain Cove and all the reminders of his failures. Since his business had burned down not two months ago he had this chance, this one chance, to do something different with his life.

But the beauty of the region tugged at him now, tightening the grip on his heart.

With the rain and fog and mist, lakes and rivers everywhere, fjords and glaciers, what more could he want? What more did a man need? Except Adam wanted and needed something he couldn’t put his finger on. After this expedition to map a cave, he already had the next three months planned out, and he wouldn’t be spending them in Alaska.

His sister, Heidi, had extracted one promise from him— be home by Christmas. As if it mattered if he was there or not. She and his brothers had lives of their own now. Families of their own. Adam was the odd man out. He wasn’t sure they would miss him if he didn’t show for Christmas. But he hadn’t even left yet and he was at a crossroad. Cobie suddenly turning up in his life again made for more indecision.

Yep. A serious fork in a road he had yet to travel.

“Looks like we’re almost there,” Adam said.

“There’s another boat anchored near the shore.” Gary gestured. “See? Just through there. Could be Cobie’s friends.”

“I hope they’re not already on the island,” Adam said. “They need to be warned about Cobie’s attacker. Did you see any other boats coming or going?”

“No.” Gary eyed Adam. “He must have left before we got here.”

“Or...he’s still on the island.”

THREE (#ulink_a4ccae2a-88c6-569b-9d2a-f1ac489b2802)

“That’s Laura’s boat.” Concern for her friends kept Cobie on edge. “We’re wasting time standing here.”

She tugged the hood of the too-big rain jacket she’d pulled over her head. She’d put on Adam’s extra pair of rain pants, too, over her borrowed clothes. Although she wore gear meant to keep out the pouring rain, she knew that eventually it would find its way in and under the protective clothing. This was a temperate rain forest, after all. Wearing rain gear was an exercise in futility.

Nate and Jared stood on one side of her, Adam on the other.

Water dripped off his hood as his blue-green eyes turned dark, watching her. “Looks empty.”

“They’re probably both on the island looking for me. We have to warn them.”

“Ray said to stay put,” Jared said. “Wait until he got here.”

“We can’t wait. My friends are in danger. We have to save them.”

“You know she’s right.” Adam climbed into the skiff they’d towed that would take them where the trawler couldn’t go.

He pulled a weapon out of a holster and checked it. Chills ran down Cobie’s spine. She was leading Adam and his friends into a potentially deadly situation, but she didn’t have a clue what else to do.

His jaw set, Adam looked up at Cobie. “You’re not going.”

“What are you talking about?” Panic and rage boiled inside. “I’m going. You can’t keep me here. I’ll swim if I have to. What difference does it make if I get wet? I’m wet already.”

At the thought of getting into that water again, a knot swelled in her throat. Adam had to know it was an idle threat on her part, which made it worthless. Ignoring Cobie, Jared and Nate climbed into the skiff. There was no room for her; it was that small. Now she was spitting mad, but that wouldn’t help her make her case. She pushed her frustration down.

“Look, I have to be with you. Laura and Jen are going to freak out when they see you. They’re going to be worried about me if I’m not at the cabin. They’re going to think you’re the bad guys.” Maybe. She wasn’t sure what they would think. If they had only just arrived on the island, they were probably still looking for Cobie without realizing anything was wrong. It was worth a shot to convince Adam to let her go along.

Jared climbed out. “She’s right, Adam.”

Cobie quickly climbed in before Jared could change his mind, giving him a quick squeeze on his arm and a thank-you. Adam’s jaw tensed. He didn’t look happy, but that wasn’t her problem. He grabbed the oars and rowed the boat to shore.

They made it to the small sandy beach, the only place they could easily get ashore, away from the rocks and coral reefs that surrounded the rest of the island. She’d been fortunate to survive her jump off the bluff.

Thank You, Lord. She’d taken a leap of faith, as it were, knowing she’d either sink or swim. She’d sunk all right.